Doe's POV:

"Can't sleep?"

His voice broke through the silence of the dark room, ceasing my wandering thoughts with it.

We had technically 'gone to bed' a little over an hour ago, but I could for the life of me get my brain to shut up.

That, and I wasn't too excited about what was to come tomorrow.

I shook my head, my nose brushing against the fabric at his collar bone.

"I'm just... thinking," I replied quietly.

"About?"

Everything.

Everything that happened today.

Trying to finally collect some coherent thoughts and dissect these new emotions that I hadn't been able to experience until now.

But I wasn't sure I wanted to divulge all of that to him yet. Not when he was a source for most of them.

"I don't know what to do anymore now that she's gone."

I hadn't realized that waiting for Layla to return had become somewhat of a constant for me.

It was something that I always had to look out for... It was one of the only consistencies I had.

Just sitting around and waiting for the next time she decided to come back. Repeated over and over and over.

Until now.

Now there was nothing. My future days were empty and yet full of possibilities now that she was no longer a threat.

It was exciting and unnerving all at the same time.

He shifted himself back just enough for the soft glow of his eyes to come into view.

"What do you want to do?" he questioned.

"What can I do?"

The freedom of it all was daunting, and I didn't know where to start, or how to start.

I was just now beginning to understand how much time out of my days was spent worrying in one way or another.

On top of how many decisions that fear had a play in.

How much I wouldn't let myself do...

The hand on my back tapped twice against me, a long-existing silent signal we'd figured out. This one telling me that he was about to move.

I pushed myself up on my arm to allow him to do just that, watching him roll onto his back.

We then put ourselves in the same position as the night that he rubbed my back, both settling into it with a deep sigh.

"Well," He started, trailing his finger over my spine, "You could start with letting me get you that guitar while you're gone. That'll at least give you somewhere to start while you figure out what you want to do from there."

The guitar... Right, that could be real now. There was no reason not to go for that anymore.

And the lessons Xander promised me.

"Yeah," I breathed out, drawing random little patterns against his shirt with my nails right beside where my head laid, "I'd like that. Are you gonna get the violin too?"

There was a short silence, my head lowering as his chest deflated.

"The matching one? Yeah, I think I will. It's about time I picked that up again." his words were reminiscent.

The small smile his words put on me caught me by surprise.

The excitement of it as well.

Something to look forward to.

"But even after that, there's no use in stressing over what you want to do next. There's no rush in it either, we can just laze around for days on end, or go into the city to take it easy. I'm not going anywhere, and you've got all the time in the world to figure it out and experience all of it."

He did have a point... I just wasn't used to actually having time to sort through things before something else ruined it.

And the fact that he was so willing to join me in all of it flared up another reaction I was going to have to dissect later.

But still.

"Or at most until I turn twenty-five," I corrected.

Which was still a lot of time.

I've only spent about two here, and my next birthday isn't for a few months.

It'll be enough time though.

"Huh?" his moment of confusion ended almost as fast as it came, his breath catching and movement pausing as soon as he remembered, "Oh... Yeah. Right..."

His voice had grown tight.

Yeah, he definitely forgot about that.

But either way, that wasn't something I was worried about.

I've known that if anything else, my fate would come to me at that age. It was something I accepted a long time ago.

Until then I had this, and it was more than enough.

Far more than any of the girls I grew up beside could have hoped for.

The fierce protection and deep friendship of the one I was raised to serve.

I turned my head up to look at him, catching the far-away look in his eyes and the tense working of his jaw.

Going a little further up, I saw the hand was just resting on his forehead palm-up instead of getting laid on like it did last time.

I don't recall the thought of reaching for it crossing my mind before the hand that was tracing around on his shirt lifted.

Except I didn't go for the hand in the end. No, it ended up landing on the top of his upper arm, effectively making his eyes follow as soon as the contact was made.

That strange curiosity from earlier had gotten the best of me it would seem.

The difference in our skin's temperature registered first.

I wasn't quite sure what I hoped on accomplishing, just let my hand drag its way down his arm.

Feeling the little details, the stiffness of his bicep, and the softness of his skin.

The tempo of his heart right beside my ear changed almost immediately.

Right... I make him nervous.

The thought stirred an odd bit of pride to life, carrying on with whatever it was I was doing.

His hand slowly drew down as mine reached the bend in his arm, following the way that I was mindlessly pulling it closer to me with nothing more than a few soft touches

Once his arm was almost fully extended, I continued down the lower side of his forearm, my middle finger specifically tracing a protruding vein all the way down to his wrist.

A feeling that apparently made the world's most feared and most powerful of predators shudder and suck in a quick breath.

I was lucky to have caught the soft laugh that threatened to leave me.

Alright, I shouldn't drag this out any longer.

Fingers bending around his wrist, I pulled it close and set it to rest over my shoulder. Enclosing him around me.

Returning my hand to where it was before, I relaxed into him again, now satisfied

"Y'know, you could have just told me to put my hand there," he rumbled, his tone a bit lower than usual.

I probably would have, had I known that that's what I was trying to accomplish.

"There wouldn't have been any fun in that," I responded honestly.

His hand rubbed over where I had placed it.

"True," I felt his head atop of mine, his lips moving against my hair with his next soft words, "Very true,"

His breathing evened out, quiet taking us over once again.

I didn't want to leave tomorrow.

The timing of it all was laughably horrible.

I knew that I didn't have a choice and that it wasn't the end of the world, but it was strange for me to feel something like this for a reason that wasn't stemmed from fear.

There was warmth rooted in what I wanted instead of that endless void.

Yet both were equally difficult to understand.

Being left in the dark like this though... It was a different kind of anticipation than I was used to.

He said I had time to figure this out.

Right now though, I just wanted to keep him here.

~~~

"You sure you don't wanna grab something warmer?" He pushed, filling out the form for this whole check-up thing last minute.

I sent him a deadpanned look, smoothening out the long-sleeved wool shirt I had put on.

"I might not have the best reputation when it comes to dressing warm, but I can assure you, this will be fine," I responded.

With this sort of thing, it was better not to stand out amongst the other pets.

Especially since many of them will be dressed much worse than me already.

All of these girls came from differing upbringings and various masters, all of whom did one thing or another differently.

Last year they had just crammed us all together in a cement room, only for a fight to break out once the lights turned off over the few pets that came with heavier and warmer jackets.

For some of these girls, I know being a pet can bring them to insanity, and it shows in times like that.

It was something I didn't want to become a part of, and I was willing to puy my own slight discomfort to the side as long as I didn't become a target for that.

I just wanted to sit in the corner and wait for it to be done with.

Think about what I wanna accomplish to pass the time.

The drive was going to be the worst of it anyway, but as long as I get placed somewhat in the middle, it'll be bearable.

He still looked wary.

"I've gotta blend in there, Xander. Taking that coat you got me will do the complete opposite for the pets who won't even have a sweater. It won't be the most comfortable, but I'll live."

And I don't wanna get attacked for it and risk getting it stolen from me.

The realization clicked, inclining his head in surrender before finishing the form.

It didn't take much longer until he was done and we began our way to the designated area.

The weighing feeling that began to stir in me as we made our way down in silence was just slightly recognizable.

It wasn't exactly nervousness nor was it worry or fear, but it was close enough to be related.

It kind of made me wish I had said something else before we stepped out of our room. I knew talking to each other was difficult to do, and I'm sure there will be somewhat of a crowd down there already.

There was an agitation in Xander the second we made it onto the first floor, his head turning and scanning through the vampires here for the same reason like he was looking for something.

I assumed it was Nico, but quickly found that I was wrong when I felt an arm hooking around my back right before being replaced by a wall.

Followed by the head-rush I got whenever I was included in his advanced speed.

Once I shook it away, I noticed he had taken me into a little tucked-away corner in the back of the main room, his body looking like it was trying to shield me from anyone's sight.

"What are you doing?" I whispered, taking note of the shadow he was casting over me with this position.

"I don't know," he admitted, checking behind him, "It felt weird to just send you off without like... a bye or something."

I blinked at him, both surprised and amused by our similar thoughts, following it up with a soft laugh.

"Good, cuz I almost forgot to remind you to talk to Nico while I'm gone." I nagged out of playfulness, getting the exact reaction I was expecting with a prompt rolling of his eyes.

Then a sigh as he lowered his head to where it was nearly touching mine.

"I just...I," He stopped, brows furrowing, "I have no idea what I'm trying to say, I think I just wanted us to part on a good note."

My smile widened at his honesty, and the awkward yet somewhat cute way he portrayed it.

It was just very... him.

I rose myself just enough to close the distance, meeting his forehead with mine.

The contact made that emotion I couldn't figure out finally click.

What the heck...? I was gonna miss this guy.

Even if it was only two days.

How interesting.

"Try not to miss me too much," I whispered with a grin, somewhat curious if he felt the same way.

His eyes were truly beautiful with how close they were right now.

"I'm not too confident in my ability to do that. I already know I'm going to be bored out of my mind," he confessed.

Bingo.

The reciprocation switched the feeling into a cozier one.

His head turned again, making mine follow.

The group of vampires was growing thicker. Someone was bound to notice his strange position here soon.

A discontented sigh was the next thing to come out of his lips, surely realizing the same thing.

"Alright," he conceded, stepping back and leading me again to our destination.

The same cages as before were parked out in front of the castle, the vehicles towing them already attacked and ready for travel.

The white suits the workers wore blended nicely with the snow covering the ground.

After miraculously not slipping on the ice-slicked stairs that lead into the castle, Xander approached one.

I recognized him as the same guy who had given us the forms in the first place, the obvious nervousness showing on his face again in no time at our presence.

The name stitched into the top of his shirt pocket read 'Erik'.

"Sir Vanderwood," He greeted with a slight bow, "So nice to see you again."

"You as well," Xander handed him the form to which he quickly examined.

His eyes flickered to me, then to him.

"No uh, leash, sir?" He asked.

If I was being honest, I too was confused that he didn't grab one. Just the collar I had to wear.

It was just for societal show, but I knew they used the leashes provided during the check-up.

"I'm sure you'll see that she behaves just fine without one."

"Right. Of course," he stammered, "Well then I'll take her from here, and make sure she returns to you exactly how she left."

"Yes," there was a very sharp edge to his voice, "You will,"

I could see just how hard Erik gulped.

Nice.

I stepped forward as I was directed to, switching into my 'public default pet mode' I guess you could call it as he lead me away from Xander.

I turned my head back after the first five steps, meeting his gaze immediately.

He sent me a small wave, followed by mouthing the 'bye' he had mentioned wanting prior.

I returned the favor, keeping my eyes there for probably a second too long.

Erik lead me into the large barred cart and back towards the girls that were already there, carefully clipping my collar to one of the many chains hanging down from the roof

He put me towards the middle, so I'll be fine.

The cold hadn't yet made its way through what I was already wearing.

I peered through the bars to see if Xander was still there, but I couldn't see him where I had left him.

Nor anywhere in the surrounding area.

I almost gave up then and there, but soon recognized that blonde mess of a head standing up at the top of the stairs, leaning against the outside walls with his arms crossed. Just... watching.

Which made me feel... a bit better.

It took a while for all of the pets to get gathered in, though it only had to have been about 15 minutes until I spotted Khloe getting lead in.

By Erik funny enough, who again looked like he was about to completely shit himself.

Looking a little further back, I figured out why with the glare Nico was burying into the back of his head.

This dude just attracts royals I guess.

It took another ten minutes before the blaring sound of the engine starting scared half of us to death and the vehicles were set into motion.

Xander hadn't budged from his perch atop the stairs.

A long, meaningless exhale blew out of me as we drove off.

I just hope this goes by quick.